Are you and your family at risk of experiencing a flood that could damage your home? Many people are unaware of their risk unless their mortgage company requires them to obtain flood insurance. Your lender may not require you to have a flood policy, but that doesn’t mean you should leave yourself unprotected.
Your first step should be finding out what the risk level is for your home. You can use our FEMA Flood Map Lookup Tool to find out if you are in a Low, Medium or High-Risk flood zone. Then, reach out to one of our flood specialists to help you evaluate your risk, and to answer any questions you might have about the process of obtaining flood insurance.
Storms and Floods remain largely unpredictable. It’s better to obtain flood insurance coverage than to risk financial ruin and regret the decision later.
Here are some ways you can prepare for a potential flood.
Flood Preparedness and Emergency Evacuation Checklist
Assemble an evacuation kit. In the event a flash flood, be prepared to leave in a rush. Have critical supplies readily available in a bag with everything you will need should a major storm or flood threaten your home. Store critical documents or digital backups in waterproof containers. .
Have a plan. Where will you go if you must evacuate and what is your route there? Where and how will you meet up with your family in the event of a flood? If you can’t leave, where should you gather in your home? Where will your pets go? Ready.gov offers a family emergency planning template here, which you can download and complete with the rest of your family.
Get weather updates and disaster warning alerts. Many cell phones have emergency alert systems, but you can also turn to the National Weather Service or local news stations for timely, accurate information.
Prepare your home. Stock up on non-perishable food items, medication and first aid supplies well in advance of severe weather. Secure your home and property by closing all windows and doors and bringing patio furniture, decorations and toys indoors. Charge cell phones and tune your radio to a station with weather alerts.
Flooding is the most frequently occurring natural disaster in the United States. Living outside of a high-risk flood zone does not mean your home is risk-free from flooding. Most homeowners insurance policies do not include coverage for flood damage, making it critical to have a flood insurance policy to help you recover if you are impacted by a flood.
Many people obtain flood insurance through the federal government’s National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). However, for many homeowners there are better options. FEMA flood maps are often outdated and may not provide the most accurate or up to date information about a property’s flood exposure. As a result, some homeowners are charged unnecessarily high premiums that do not accurately reflect their property’s risk.
FloodPrice.com uses technology driven algorithms to more precisely calculate your private flood insurance premium. With broader coverage options, and higher limits than the NFIP, you can tailor-make your policy to fit your needs. Get an online instant quote and see how much you can save compared to the NFIP.
